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"Valley
of the Gods" by Wolfgang Lehnhardt |
Valley of the Gods
By Beverly Lehnhardt
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Sedona.biz
Sedona, AZ - A drive of about 250 miles
northeast of Sedona
takes you to a most amazing place. The Valley of the Gods located
between Mexican Hat and Bluff, Utah is a mere 33 miles from its
much more famous cousin, Monument Valley, where cars, off-road
vehicles, and buses pay fees to tour the Valley. Not so at Valley of
the Gods! Here there are no lines, no buses, no fees—just wide open
spaces dotted with huge, mysterious, red sandstone rock formations.
The quiet, the solitude, and the alien landscape make you feel as
though you’ve suddenly been transported to another world.
The Valley of the Gods lies at the
base of Cedar Mesa, an 1100-foot bluff formed 250 million years ago when a
shallow sea invaded from the northwest, depositing rocks and debris. As the
water gradually receded, wind and weather set to work on the newly-exposed
undersea topography, slowly wearing away the steep cliffs and ridges. Over time,
the ancient sandstone and shale gradually turned red or purple as the iron in
the rocks oxidized to form rust. Today’s monuments and spires are actually
buttes and petrified sand dunes that remained standing long after the cliffs
they were attached to eroded away.
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Valley of
the Gods |
Hemmed in by the "V" north of the junction of SR
261 and U.S. 163, on the northern edge of the Navajo Indian Reservation, the Valley is a relatively level, 50-square-mile basin studded
with intricately eroded sandstone spires, buttes, and towers. The 17-mile dirt
Valley of the Gods Road (FR 242) meanders through the Valley, winding amongst
the eerie formations. It is bumpy, occasionally steep where it criss-crosses the
washes, and forms a scenic loop that connects Highways 163 and 261. The jagged
towers, gravelly washes, and intricate sandstone formations line the road, close
enough to be seen well without getting out of the car, yet beckoning to be
explored—up close and personal—on foot. The road is passable by normal vehicles
in good weather but during the monsoons, even 4-wheel drives may have problems
negotiating the slippery, muddy, slopes. It would be a good idea to monitor the
Utah weather forecast before embarking on an extended stay in the Valley.
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Valley of
the Gods Road |
Navajo legend believes that the
towering sentinels in this sprawling, ocher-hued amphitheater are
warriors turned to stone and frozen in time. Over the years, the
formations have earned whimsical names such as Woman in a Bathtub,
The Rooster, The Hen, and General de Gaulle’s Troops. However,
sometimes it takes a stretch of the imagination to ‘see’ the
likeness!
Summertime temperatures often exceed 100 degrees
so hiking or camping might best be left for spring or fall months. Regardless of
the time of year, however, always bring along plenty of water as there are no
facilities in the Valley. The nearest civilization to the north side of Valley
of the Gods is the tiny town of Bluff nestled in the shade of the cottonwood
trees along the San Juan River, about 30 minutes away. Mormon pilgrims settled
here in the 1880’s but it is now home to a mixture of artists, river-rafting
guides, and back-to-nature types. In Bluff you’ll find water, gas, and other
supplies as well as a few decent motels and restaurants if you’re tired of
‘roughing it.’ To the southeast just 8 miles away, the small town of Mexican Hat offers several small
motels for those in need of ‘civilization.’ During the summer, the
Mexican Hat Lodge provides a fantastic barbecue dinner for a very reasonable price. If in
town, it’s not to be missed!
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Goosenecks of the San Juan River |
Cedar Mesa itself is known for its many scenic
canyons that are very rich in Anasazi ruins and rock art. This area is a great
place to explore with camera in hand. South of Cedar Mesa between Valley of the
Gods and Mexican Hat is the Goosenecks of the San Juan River, one of the world’s
finest examples of ‘entrenched meanders’ (Goosenecks are where a river meanders
in tight curves). Off the southern end of Highway 261, take Highway 316 for 3.5
miles. From here, you can look down on the goosenecks over 1000 feet below and
see the convoluted switchbacks that cause the San Juan River to wind five miles
while moving only one mile towards its destination. Another fantastic photo
opportunity!
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Valley of
the Gods |
The nearest lodging to the Valley of
the Gods is the solar- and wind-powered Valley of the Gods Bed and
Breakfast. Attracted by the area’s remote beauty, Gary and Claire
Dorgan relocated from Flagstaff, AZ nine years ago to open the B&B.
They act as the area’s unofficial caretakers, offering local
history, hearty breakfasts, and friendly advice on what, where, and
how to see the Valley. It has only 4 guest rooms, ranging in price
from $95 to $130 per night. The B&B is the only home within the
360,000 acre Cedar Mesa Cultural and Recreational Management area
and is within easy driving distance of many area attractions.
Advance reservations are recommended. You can visit their website at
www.zippitydodah.com/vog.html or call (970) 749-1164 for more
information or room availability.
Although Sedona and its surrounding
areas offer much to see, do, and explore, if you are looking for a
day trip (or even a camping overnighter), Valley of the Gods is a
great place to get away from the hustling, bustling crowds of
tourists; and see some incredible sights that can be found few other
places on earth…
An entrenched river is a river that is confined to a
canyon or
gorge, usually with a relatively narrow width and little or
no
flood plain, and often with
meanders worn into the landscape. Such rivers form when an
area is elevated rapidly or for some other reason the
base level of erosion is rapidly lowered, so that the river
begins
downcutting into its channel faster than it can change
course (which rivers normally do on a constant basis). If the
river had pronounced meanders before the lowering of the base
level of erosion, then those meanders may be "carved into
stone," as it were. [Back]
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